Blood And Secrets
by Lady Midath
Summary: Dethklok stop to pick up a young Norwegian hitchhiker.


Disclaimer:I do not own any of these characters, they are owned by Brendon Small and Adult Swim. No profit is being made.

_ Blood And Secrets_

One

Norway

This beating had been the worst one yet. Toki could feel the blood trickling from the cuts that his father had inflicted. Slowly the boy, almost a man now, clambered to his feet, wincing at the vicious sting that tormented his back and buttocks.

"Ah God," he muttered, then felt his face colour with shame at the blasphemy. After all, to take God's name in vain was a deadly sin, or so his parents often told him. Night after night, his father would read from the ancient bible that sat in pride of place on the mantelpiece. Every night it would be taken down and opened with a tender loving care that was never shown to their son. Toki's father would then carefully choose a page and read aloud while his wife and son listened raptly.

Carefully he moved across the floor, taking care not to bump into anything. After all, that's what had gotten him into trouble in the first place. A clumsy misstep due to fatigue, he had been hauling boxes of fish around all day, and his mother's favourite teapot which just happened to be sitting on the edge of the table. His mother had wailed at the sight of the blue and white shards that littered the polished floorboards. His father of course has been incensed at his son's carelessness and had proceeded to thrash Toki within an inch of his life.

Aslaug Wartooth was nothing if not a strict man, and one that could be depended upon to do his duty no matter what. So despite his son's frantic pleas and wailed apologies, he saw to it that this would be one lesson that Toki learned.

"Let that be a lesson to you son," he had intoned as he hung the thick leather strap back onto it's peg near the kitchen door. It had been placed there so that Toki would have a constant reminder of what waited for him if he disobeyed his parents in any way. "Bad behaviour will not be tolerated in this house. Now you stay there on the floor and pray to the good Lord for forgiveness." With that, his father had left the kitchen, his wife in tow, leaving Toki crouched on the cold floor weeping.

"But it was an accident," Toki whispered to his parents retreating backs as tears streamed down his face. "I didn't do it on purpose." But it was no good, they would always blame him for everything. They would always find ways to punish him, even for the things that he did not mean to do. It wasn't fair. Not everything was his fault. They even blamed him for being born.

Angrily, he swiped a hand across his face, wiping the tears away. Do other children get beaten like this? Do their parents act like they hate them? Sniffling back more tears, Toki headed towards the small back room that house a single cot and a chest of drawers. The room was as spartan as a monk's and in no way resembled a bedroom that a child would sleep in. Fighting to ignore the pain radiating from his back and behind, he pulled open a couple of drawers and removed their contents. A few shirts, a couple of pairs of pants, some tattered looking underwear. Then carefully folding them, he placed it all into a small battered looking backpack. Then after packing his meager belongings, he hid the backpack under his bed and sat on the edge of his bed, patiently waiting for it to get dark.

Two

Sweden

"Fucks dis, dumb dildos fuckings Stupids assholes."

Pickles looked up as the door to the tour bus door swung open.

"Hey Skwisgaar, yer want some?" The red haired drummer, already half drunk himself, waved a bottle of bourbon in the guitarist's direction.

But Skwisgaar Skwigelf was in a foul mood. It had been simmering for the better part of the day but now it was threatening to boil over. Pickles watched as the lanky blonde slammed the door shut behind him and storm into the cramped interior of the tour bus.

"Somethin' wrong there dood?"

"Ja, somethings is wrongs alright. I's ams sicks of beings told dat I's plays the notes wrong. I am knowings der notes and der chords. I's ams playings right."

Uh oh, sounded like Magnus was getting on the kid's case again, although Pickles could not figure out why. Skwisgaar was young sure, but when it came to playing the guitar, the kid was a genius.

"You and Magnus have another fight huh?" Pickles asked, taking a healthy swig from the bottle he was still holding. Skwisgaar nodded, his face a picture of angry misery. Settling himself onto a battered looking seat, he reached for the bottle. Pickles handed it to him, watching as he took a healthy mouthful,then handed it back to to band's drummer.

"He's sayings dat I can'ts play anys of der solos, not fuckings one evens doze I am knowings dem alls."

"Ah, dat tough dood." Even though as a rule, Pickles usually tried to stay out of bandmates arguments, he found himself feeling sorry for the young Swede. Because for all of Skwisgaar's bragging about how many other bands he had been in, it was clear to the others that he was young and insecure and with little real experience. Pickles could see that all he wanted was to prove himself to the band and especially to their lead guitarist.

But Pickles knew that Magnus was not going to let the kid upstage him, not now, not ever. Magnus was older than most of them and had a hell of a lot of stage experience, something he was continuously reminding the young rhythm guitarist of.

"Ah fucks him anyways, he's ams not dat goods." Skwisgaar muttered, then reached for the bottle of bourbon again. Taking another swig he settled back against the uncomfortable seat. Pickles grinned at him, a drunken flush already crawling across his cheeks.

"Yeah bro, dat's the spirit."

Skwisgaar grinned back, he liked Pickles and without actually admitting it-admired him. Suddenly he leaned forward conspiratorially.

"You wants to knows somdinks Pickles," he said softly. Pickles shrugged.

"What's dat dood?"

"Ones day, I ams goinks to be's better dan him. Ones day, I ams goinks to be der leads guitarists and plays all de solos. What ams you dinks abouts dat?"

Pickles laughed as he lifted the bottle in a salute.

"You go get 'em Skwisgaar."

Three

Norway

Toki sighed as he lifted his hand, thumb out but the truck rumbled by, the driver behind the wheel not even sparing a backwards glance at the scrawny looking kid standing by the side of the road. He had been hitch hiking for most of the day without much luck and now he was tired, cold and hungry. The little money he had left was enough to buy a hot meal, if only he could get the the next town.

It had been three weeks since he had run away from his home and his parents. Three miserable cold hungry weeks of scratching to keep body and soul together. Three weeks of sleeping rough and stopping at houses to beg for odd jobs so that he could earn enough for some food or a room for the night.

But still it was better than being back with his parents, hell anything was better than being back with his parents. Suddenly he found himself wondering if they were worried about him, or even wanted him back home again. But he seriously doubted it. After all, to The Reverend Aslaug and Anja his equally pious wife, their son had been a mistake. Born out of wedlock, Toki was a child brought into this world in sin and he carried the mark of the ultimate sinner. He carried the mark of shame. A child born in lust was a child not fit to be seen and so they had kept their son shut away from the rest of the village. To live alone without any kind of affection or joy.

"Ugh," Grimacing, Toki lifted his hands and pressed them against his burbling stomach. Even just the thought of them was enough to set his stomach off. That and lack of food.

Slowly he turned and begun trudging down the snow covered road, shivering inside the thin, threadbare coat he was wearing. The worn soles of his shoes did not give him much protection and he could no longer feel his toes.

_It couldn't be much further,_ Toki thought, lifting his hands to his mouth to try and blow some warmth back into his fingers. His woolen gloves were full of holes and little use against the cold. But still he trudged on, trying to ignore the hunger pangs that were gnawing at his stomach.

He would reach the next town soon, _he would._

Four

Norway

"I told you Skwisgaar, you play it like this..._fuck_!"

Nathan looked up frowning. Skwisgaar and Magnus were sitting together on the battered couch at the back of the tour bus. Magnus had just finished writing Skwisgar's guitar lines in their new song, Bloodlust. Magnus had insisted on writing all the guitar parts despite Skwisgaar's insistence that he could write his own. Now the lead guitarist was attempting to show the young Swede how to play it. Nathan could see the mutinous expression on his face and braced himself for the inevitable fight that was sure to follow.

"Ands I ams tellings you dats I's ams playings it likes dis!"

Skwisgaar's fingers danced nimbly over the strings, playing a perfect set of chords. "Dere, dat ams der ways I's am playings dis song."

"It's not the way it's fucking written," Magnus snapped, then snatching the guitar off Skwisgaar, he played. "There you dumb fucking Swede, do you possibly think you are capable of playing that?"

Skwisgaar's face coloured as he leapt to his feet, his fists clenched at his sides. Magnus stared up at him for a moment, then tossing the guitar aside, he stood, facing the angry rhythm guitarist.

"Don'ts calls me der dumb Swede yous stoopids didolicker fuckstard!"

"Then stop acting like a dumb Swede and I'll stop calling you one, Jesus, are you are fucking retard or _what_?"

"That's enough!" Nathan's rumble cut through their arguing and they both turned to face the band's frontman. Nathan had gotten to his feet now, ready to pull them both apart if he had to. Hell, it wouldn't be the first time either. It seemed that Magnus and Skwisgaar were getting into a fight every other week and since they had gone on tour, it had gotten worse. Okay the close quarters and long hours traveling weren't helping matters, but Murderface and Pickles were managing to get along. It was just Skwisgaar and Magnus that were constantly at each other's throats and Nathan was getting sick and tired of it. In fact, he was getting ready to well and truly kick both their asses into the middle of next week.

"But Nathan..." Magnus began, but was stopped short by a glare from the lead vocalist.

"I don't want to fucking hear it," Nathan snapped. "I'm sick and fucking tired of you two dicks fighting and it's going to stop now. UNDERSTAND!"

The glare that Magnus directed at Nathan was pure poison, but Nathan was anything but intimidated. A couple of strides, an he was right in Magnus's face. Up close and personal as the lead guitarist was wont to say.

Taking a step back, Skwisgaar gave both of them room. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watched Magnus face Nathan.

"I'm only trying to get the stupid little bastard to play the fucking song right, Jesus man, what's your fucking problem."

"I don't like the way you're picking on the kid."

"I'm not picking on him...shit. Don't you want the song to be right?"

"Yeah," Nathan replied. "Of course I fucking do, but you don't have to act like a fucking...uh...I dunno. A fucking..."

"_Motherdouchbags_!"

All three turned as the tour bus's door slammed open followed by a very inebriated drummer. Pickles stumbled inside cursing as he collapsed into the nearest seat. He stared up at his bandmates, his eyes barely managing to focus on them.

"Uh Pickles man, what's up?" Nathan asked.

"Fecking bartender threw me out dood," Pickles slurred. "Said I'd fecking had too much to fecking drink. Fecking asshole douchbag, motherfecking..." Pickles rant had fallen into an incoherent slur as his chin drooped down agains his chest, Soon he was snoring away peacefully, sleeping off yet another successful binge.

Shaking his head with amusement, Nathan turned back to Magnus.

"I just want to get the song right Nathan," Magnus said. "We all do, right?"

"Yeah right," Nathan agreed. "But take it easy on Skwisgaar, okay, we're going to be in Denmark the day after tomorrow and after that we can you know, take a break and uh, rest up."

Magnus's mouth tightened for a moment, then he nodded. "Yeah, okay. I guess we can all use a break huh."

"Yeah man, I think we can."

Skwisgaar watched silently as Nathan slapped Magnus's shoulder in a friendly gesture, then walked back to where he had been sitting. It was clear that Nathan thought things had been resolved between them, but Skwisgaar knew better. Magnus Hammerstorm was a son of a bitch with a mean streak a mile wide, but it seemed that only he could see it. With a sigh, he picked up his Explorer, ready to play the way Magnus wanted him to.

Five

Denmark

It was the truck's juddering that finally woke Toki. A friendly truck driver had stopped to pick Toki up near the border of Sweden. They were driving over a long bridge now, curious, Toki stared out of the passenger window at the water below.

"We are are on the resundsfrbindelsen now and soon we will be in Denmark."

"Oh," Toki nodded, then added. "Thanks, when will we get there?"

"Nearly there," the driver replied with a smile as he glanced at Toki. "You have been asleep for quite a while young man."

Uh, sorry," Toki replied slightly abashed.

"There's nothing to apologize for, I can tell that you've been on the road for a while." The driver cast another glance at the scruffy tired looking young man sitting beside him. "Left home have you?"

Toki nodded, then turned his head to look out of the window once more, not wanting to talk about his family. The driver, sensing his young passenger's sudden reticence dropped his questioning and turned his concentration on the road instead.

They road in silence for awhile, the only sound was the soft music coming from the truck radio. It was not quite dark when they reached Denmark. Toki felt a sudden shudder ripple through him. He had never been this far from home before. He had never been outside the abandoned village near Lillehammer in his entire life and now he was in another country.

The truck driver pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road "I'm sorry I can't take you any further," the he said, real regret in his voice. "I'm not allowed to pick up hitchhikers as a rule but..." he shrugged, letting the rest of his sentence trail off.

"Tusen Takk," Toki said politely. "Thank you for letting me travel with you this far."

The driver's lips quirked up. "It's okay young man." He watched as Toki gathered up his battered looking backpack. "Have you got somewhere to go?"

Toki shrugged. "I'll find somewhere."

Suddenly the driver dived his hand into the front pocket of his jacket, pulling out some money. Handing it to Toki, he said.

"I know it's not much but it should buy you a hot meal."

Toki stared at the money for a moment, then lifted his eyes up to the driver's face. It was lined and weather-beaten, but kindness shone in his faded brown eyes and his smile was genuine.

"Takk," Toki whispered. He had never been given anything in his life. This simple gesture was enough to make his eyes sting and raise a lump in his throat. Taking the money, he stuffed it into the back pocket of his battered jeans. Then shouldering his backpack, he jumped down from the cab of the truck and with a wave, began walking.

"Good luck young man," the truck driver said, then starting the rig, headed down the road towards the city.

Six

Denmark

Nathan was sitting behind the wheel of the tour bus, Charles beside him. He was studying a map that was lying unfolded across his knees. Pickles and Murderface were both dozing at the back of the bus while Skwisgaar sat practicing on his Explorer. Magnus was sitting nearby, tuning his Flying V. Neither of them spoke and the tension between them was palpable.

"We have to take the next turnoff," Charles said. Nathan nodded. They had been traveling for most of the day and they were all tired. So far the tour had been a success with more and more people turning up at their concerts. They were on the last leg of their Scandinavian tour and were looking forward to returning home.

"Hey, what's that? Nathan was leaning forward, peering through the windscreen. "Is that a hitchhiker?"

"Looks like it," Charles remarked. The young man walking along the road, hearing the bus, stuck his thumb out. The universal language of travelers of the road.

"Hey, let's uh, pick him up."

Charles frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea Nathan."

But even as Charles spoke, Nathan had pulled the bus over, stopping near the hitchhiker.

Toki looked up as the bus's double doors folded back, then with a grin, he sprang up the steps and inside the warm interior. Charles watched with disapproval as the scruffy young man with long lank hair and an even scruffier mustache entered

"Thanks a lot," he said cheerfully as he sat down behind Charles. "It's really cold out there now that it's getting dark..." His sentence died as he realized that the two men sitting in front were staring at him with identical looks of incomprehension on their faces.

"Um, do you know what he's saying?" Nathan asked. "Cause it kinda sounds like he's um, gargling or something."

"I believe it's actually Norwegian," Charles replied. He himself did not speak the language but he was able to recognize the general sound.

"He's am saying dat it's ams colds outside, and darks as well."

The three of them turned towards Skwisgaar who was regarding the newcomer with interest.

Then speaking slowly so that the strange young man could understand him, he asked. "So what's your name?"

"Toki, Toki Wartooth" he replied. "You are Swedish?"

"Ja, but I don't live there anymore," Skwisgaar replied. Toki nodded, then glanced towards Nathan and Charles. "American?" he could recognize English although he could not speak it. Toki's home education included learning the bible and not much else.

Skwisgaar nodded, then quickly made the introductions. "I'm Skwisgaar Skwigelf, I play rhythm guitar. The one in the glasses is our manager Charles Offdenson, the big guy sitting next to him is our frontman Nathan Explosion, he our vocalist." Then pointing towards Magnus, he continued. "Lead guitarist, Magnus Hammerstorm, and the two sleeping beauties back there are Pickles our drummer and William Murderface, he plays the bass guitar."

Toki's eyes had widened during the introductions. "You all play music?"

"Pffttt, of course we do, we are Dethklok. We're on tour," Skwisgaar added. He could see how impressed Toki was now and felt his own pride swell inside him.

"You are a band? A real band?" Toki's eyes were shining with excitement. He had never been this close to a band before. At home, all music had been banned, his parents had considered it sinful. After all, music leads to dancing and dancing leads to fornication. Music was the devil's tool of temptation.

"Uh, Skwisgaar, who's ther kid?" The sound of a strange voice had woken Pickles and Murderface and they were now sitting up on the makeshift beds, staring at Toki with open curiosity.

Toki could feel his face grow hot, he was growing uncomfortable under their scrutiny. Embarrassed, he lowered his eyes, staring down at his hands resting on the grubby denim of his jeans.

"Hey Skwisgaar, I didn't know you spoke Norwaygian." Nathan said.

"Norwegian," Charles corrected him. "Skwisgaar is actually speaking Swedish but the languages are very similar." Then turning to Skwisgaar he asked. "What is his name?"

"It's ams Toki Wartooth," Skwisgaar answered. "He's am froms Norsway."

"I already gathered that," Charles replied drily. "Ask him if he's going far, if there's somewhere we can drop him off perhaps."

Skwisgaar nodded, then turning towards Toki, asked. "Where are you headed?"

"I...I'm not really sure," Toki replied. "I have never been to Denmark before."

Skwisgaar quickly translated for the others, then turned his attention back to Toki once more.

"We have one last concert then we are heading back home. Is there somewhere you have to stay?"

Toki shook his head. "No, not really."

"He's am sayings dat he's gots no place to be goingks to."

"He's homeless?'Charles asked, his frown deepening. He was liking this situation less and less. The tour was almost over and the last thing he needed was a homeless waif hanging around. If only Nathan had not stopped, damn. Well the only thing to do now was to drop the kid off at the first town they hit. Besides, he looked as though he had been living rough for a while. Probably a runaway, but no matter, he was not their problem and Charles was determined that the lank haired young man sitting in their bus was not going to become their problem.

"So he's been sleeping on the street?" Magnus asked. It was the first time he had spoken since Nathan had picked up the young hitchhiker. All heads swiveled in his direction. Skwisgaar nodded.

"Ja, dats am whats he's ams tellinks to me."

"Poor kid," Magnus's light brown eyes settled on Toki, then slowly raked over the young man. "He looks like he could use a hot meal."

"Yes and perhaps some hot water and soap as well," Charles commented. Then relenting a little he added. "It's getting late, I think it might be a good idea to find somewhere to camp for the night. That way we can give...Toki something to eat and a chance to uh, tidy himself up a little. Then we can drop him somewhere in the morning. Good idea guys?"

"Yeah sure, good idea," Magnus said slowly. Then smiling, he leaned towards Toki. "Don't worry kid, we'll look after you."

Even though Toki could not understand what the man with the strange looking beard was saying, he did not like the tone in his voice and liked the way he was looking at him even less.

Nervously he glanced over at Skwisgaar only to find the tall slender Swede was staring at Magnus with an enigmatic expression on his face.

Seven

Denmark

The food was plain, but it was hot and after days of living on practically nothing, it filled Toki's belly with a satisfying warmth.

Scooping the last of the eggs and beans into his mouth, he looked up only to find Magnus staring at him again. Face flushing, Toki picked up his plate and carried it over to the makeshift sink. It was his turn to wash up tonight. Picking up a dishcloth, he poured hot water from the electric kettle into the plastic basin.

It had been three days since Nathan had stopped to pick him up. Three days living in the tour bus with a band called Dethklok. At first Charles had insisted that they drop Toki off at the first town they reached, but the others had disagreed. Nathan and Pickles had taken a liking to 'the kid' as they dubbed him. Murderface tolerated him as long as he didn't get in the way and Skwisgaar was only too happy for someone younger than him to join their little traveling group. Now that Toki was here, he was no longer considered the 'baby' anymore. No he would be able to get more respect now that he was not the youngest. That dubious honour now fell to Toki who did not seemed to mind at all. In truth, Toki just seemed happy enough just to have a warm place to sleep.

It had actually been Magnus that had first made the argument for Toki to stay. He had insisted that 'dumping the kid on the side of the road' was wrong. "He's not a fucking stray dog you know." He had told Charles after Toki's first night with them. "He's a human being, we can't just abandon him, do you have any idea what happens to kids like this when they are out on their own?"

Charles did know what happened to kids like Toki and he was forced to agree. He would allow Toki to stay on with them for awhile longer, although he privately vowed to make sure that their resident waif was not returning to the States with them. He was happy to let the young Norwegian tag along for the time being though. After all, it was not as if he was any trouble. He was not an addict of either drugs or alcohol. He was polite, even though his knowledge of English was woeful and he was happy to help out with the day to day chores. Toki was always willing to wash the dishes or help out with the laundry. It was a welcome change from the constant bickering over whose turn it was to cook or clean up.

The band had played their last gig for this tour and it had gone better than expected. The band was getting a real following now, though their fans seemed a little crazier than most. Toki had stood watching them from behind the stage, his eyes wide with excitement and admiration as the band had played to a full house. He had never heard death metal before and it was exciting. It was like discovering something brand new that he had never known existed.

The fans had screamed and shouted for more even though it was time to wrap the gig up. Afterwards, they had returned to the tour bus to relax and drink beer, happy in the afterglow of a damn good performance. Toki had sat with them around the small fold out table, nursing a beer in spite of the fact that he was too young to drink. He sat, his fist wrapped around the cold bottle, listening as the band mates laughed and joked with each other. Even Charles had loosened up, smiling as watched Magnus try to teach Nathan how to balance peanuts on the back of his hand and flip them into his mouth. Nathan was not as well coordinated as Magnus and soon peanuts were scattered everywhere. Pickles was laughing at the big front man's attempt, then grabbing a handful of peanuts, stuffed them into his mouth.

"See Nate, it's easier ter do it this way. Least yer can git 'em into yer fecking mouth."

"That's fucking cheating man," Magnus replied with a grin. "Anyone can do that." Then turning to Toki, he asked. "You wanna learn how to to it?"

Toki shook his head, not really understanding what Magnus was saying. Seeing the puzzled expression on the kid's face, Magnus reached over, grabbing his hand, nearly spilling his beer. Taken by surprise, Toki stared down at the fingers clutching his wrist, then looking up, he saw the look in the older man's eyes. There was something in the way that Magnus was looking that him now that made him uncomfortable. Without wanting to appear rude, Toki tried to pull his hand away, but Magnus was not letting go. Tightening his fingers around the kid's slender wrist, he leaned over the table.

"C'mon Toki, it's easy, I'll show you how." With that, he turned Toki's hand over and placed a peanut in the middle of the back of his hand. Toki stared down at it, understanding dawning on his face.

"Go'wan Toki," Pickles lifted his bottle of beer, pointing it towards him encouragingly.

Toki lifted his hand up towards his mouth, frowning as Magnus's fingers lightly brushed his skin. Because of his youth and sheltered upbringing, he couldn't decipher the older man's actions, but a deeper part of him was beginning to a little frightened by them. The strange glances, the soft subtle touches, the accidental brushes of an arm or leg against him whenever Magnus came near. The others did not seem to think that anything was amiss though, so perhaps he was wrong. But still, he could not help but be afraid of the smiling man that was sitting opposite him.

A quick flip of his hand and the peanut flew straight into his mouth. The loud cheers from around the table made Toki's cheeks flush. Even Skwisgaar was smiling at him, and the tall Swede hardly ever smiled.

After several beers later, a very tipsy young Norwegian stumbled out of the tour bus, It was fully dark now, the snow covered trees pressing in all around. Nathan had chosen a secluded spot to camp for the night before returning to the city and their flights back to America. Some part of Toki hoped that maybe the band would take him with them, but he doubted it. Still he loved living with them in the battered tour bus and he would be very sorry when it ended. He would miss them all so much. Well maybe not Magnus, but the others definitely.

Suddenly Toki felt a sudden itching behind his eyes. He didn't want to be left behind, maybe they would take him back to the States. Sure, they were not going to let him in the band, but he could cook and clean for them. Take care of their instruments and make himself generally useful. He could learn to speak English properly. Skwisgaar could teach him.

Toki was so busy with these thoughts that he did not realize how deep he had wandered into the woods, or that someone was following him.

"Hey Toki, what are you doing out here all alone. You're going to freeze that cute little ass of your right off."

Startled, Toki turned around, standing just a couple of meters away was Magnus.

"Why are you following me?" Toki asked. Magnus shrugged.

"Sorry kid, no speaka da lingo. Only English," then with a smile, he took a step closer to Toki.

"But you know kid, you are one sweet looking little piece of candy. You know that don't you."

Toki may not have been able to understand the words, but the way Magnus was staring at him easy enough to read. Taking a step back, he leveled what he hoped was a frightening glare at the older man.

"What do you want, leave me alone."

"What's wrong Toki?" Magnus was moving closer now, eyeing Toki very much like a snake would eye it's prey. "Don't you like me, shit kid, I like you. In fact, I like you a lot if you know what I mean." This was followed by a lecherous wink.

"Stay the fuck away from me," Toki spat as he backed away. Magnus laughed.

"You're are little spitfire aren't you kiddo. That's okay though, that's the way I like them. Nice and hot with a bit of fight. Not too much though, wouldn't want you getting hurt."

"Please, leave me alone," Toki was pleading now, his wide and filled with fear. Taking another step back,he didn't see the fallen tree behind him half buried in the snow. His knees hit the trunk and suddenly he found himself sprawling across the hard wood.

Seeing his chance, Magnus leapt and grabbing the back of Toki's shirt, rolled him over onto his stomach. Frightened and hurt now, Toki cried out, his legs lashing out at his assailant. Magnus moved to one side, easily avoiding Toki's wild kicks. Then grasping the waistband of Toki's jeans, he hauled them down. With the lack of a belt, they slid down his legs easily. Then his tattered white underwear followed.

"Hmmm," Magnus slid his hands over Toki's pale backside. "Nice butt kiddo," he whispered. "Now let's see what else you've been hiding under those fucking pants of yours."

Toki's struggles became frantic as he felt Magnus's rough fingers, calloused from years of playing the guitar, probe his most private region.

"Please, stop, just stop," he begged as tears began to slide down his flaming cheeks. He could feel those fingers now as he slid into his anus, then pulling out, delved deeper. He gasped as he felt his balls taken into a gentle grasp. Then the hand moved to his penis.

"Not bad Toki, not bad at all. You know with an ass like this, you could've made yourself a nice little living instead of sleeping rough."

Toki whimpered helplessly, terrified now. He could feel Magnus's hot breath against the back of his neck, the tree's trunk was biting painfully into his stomach now. Desperately he tried to shift his weight, but the heavier man had him pinned down.

"Ah uh Ah," Magnus admonished. "Be a good little boy or else Daddy spank." With that, he brought his hand down against Toki bare arse in a stinging slap. Wincing, Toki ceased his struggles. His mind was racing now, trying to take in what was happening.

Then the fingers were back again, slipping in and out of his anus.

"Nice and tight, never been fucked before? Well all that's about to change."

Suddenly Toki felt a sharp hot pain shoot through him, arching back he tried to throw Magnus off, but it was no good. He felt himself forced back down over the trunk once more.

Magnus was shoving himself deep inside Toki's virginal arsehole. Without lube, it was sheer agony and Toki wept helplessly as white hot pain lanced through him.

"Hey, what the fuck are you doing?"

Magnus froze, then turning His head, he was confronted by the sight of four shocked bandmates. They were staring at the scene before them with almost identical expressions of horror and disgust.

Nervously Magnus pulled out of Toki, and quickly pulling up his pants, offered them all a grin.

"Hey guys, what's up. Just having a little fun with the kid here. You know, no harm done hey."

"No harm done?" Nathan was staring at his lead guitarist, a mixture of rage and disbelief warring across his face. "What were you fucking doing Magnus, raping the kid?"

"Nathan," Magnus began, but stopped as Skwisgaar brushed past him, heading over to Toki. He watched as he gathered the distraught young man into his arms. Toki's frame was wracked with sobs as he leaned into the warmth of Skwisgaar's body.

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay Toki, we're all here now, it's all right. Magnus isn't going to hurt you anymore."

Lifting his head off Skwisgaar's shoulder, Toki stared at him, tears and snot staining his cheeks. "Promise?" he whispered.

"Promise."

Carefully Skwisgaar helped Toki to his feet, pulling his jeans back up around his slender hips. Then turning to Magnus, he snarled.

"Animbals, you ams animbals, rapsking Toki likes dis. You fucksings bastards didlos, assholes..."

"Schit bro, thish is fushking schick. Were you really raping thisch kid?" Murderface was staring at Magnus, repulsed.

"I wasn't raping him," Magnus protested. "He wanted it, hell, he lead me all the way out here..."

"He wanted it it? dood, teck a look at him, he's fecking hysterical." Pickles yelped. "He's fecking crying his eyes out man, shit, yer cain't tell us he led you awn. Jest look at him!"

"You fucking prick," Nathan snarled, his face reddening with fury. "You fucking followed him out here so you could...you could...fuck Magnus, how the fuck could you?"

Magnus stared with disbelief at his bandmate. He could see the pure fury and disgust radiating off them. Toki was still leaning against Skwisgaar, staring at him, his face pale with pain and shock.

"I don't fucking believe this." Running a hand nervously through his hair, he faced them. "Nathan, Pickles, shit, the kid wanted it. He's a whore, all kids like him a whores. You know that. They live on the fucking streets like vermin, mugging people, selling their asses to anyone going by. Jesus, why are you all looking at me like this?"

"The kid's not a whore." Nathan growled,he could feel white hot rage building inside him as he spoke. "You're the fucking whore Magnus, you're the sick fucking whore for...for doing this!" He gestured towards Toki. "He's a nice kid and you go and do something like this..."

"Oh and you wouldn't have," Magnus replied with a sneer. "Jealous because I got there first? But then again, it's not Toki you want is it? Huh Tonto, well maybe if Toki's hair was shorter and he wore a suit and a pair of glasess..."

Suddenly his words were cut short as a huge meaty fist connected solidly with his jaw. Taken by surprise, Magnus stumbled backwards, then slipping on an icy patch, his feet flew out from under him. With an "oomph" he hit the ground, his head smacking against a rock jutting up out of the ground. It made a sickening sound as it connected. Then Magnus lay sprawled on the snowy ground, his head lying at an unnatural angle.

"Shit Nate, is he awlright?" Pickles was staring at the splash of blood that was dripping down the surface of the rock.

"Uh, Magnus, man, uh...you okay?" Nervously Nathan crouched down beside Magnus. Then looking up at the others,he said.

"Um, he's not...he's not moving or anything."

"Ish he breathing?" Murderface was staring down at their lead guitarist with a sick fascination. Nathan shook his head.

"I don't think so."

"Nate, dood, I think yer killed him or sumpthing." Pickles was staring at Nathan, his face pale and worried.

Nathan felt his stomach twist. Killed Magnus, shit, that had not been his intention. Sure he had wanted to beat the fucker for hurting Toki, but killing him? Swallowing hard, Nathan stepped away from Magnus's body. He was way out of his depth now.

"What the hell is gong on here?"

All of them turned, gazing owlishly at Charles as he walked over to where they were standing.

"What are you all..." then looking down he caught sight of Magnus. "What's happened here?"

Then all hell broke loose as four voice all started babbling at once. Holding up his hand, Charles managed to silence the all, then turning to Nathan, he said.

"Nathan, tell me what happened here, _now_!"

Slowly, with a lot of fumbling for words, Nathan explained the situation. After he had finished, Charles stepped over and knelt down next to Magnus. The lead guitarist had not moved at all. Checking for a pulse and finding none, Charles could see that Magnus was dead. Judging by the angle his head was resting on, it looked as though he had broken his neck.

"He's dead," Charles announced as he climbed to his feet. Nathan's face drained of all colour and for a moment, the big man looked as though he were going to burst into tears. His adam's apple bobbed up and down as he struggled to try and get his emotions under control.

"I killed him," he said in unusually hushed tones.

"It was clearly an accident," Charles said, forcing his voice to stay calm and businesslike even though he was feeling anything but.

"Whats ams we goninks to do nows?" Skwisgaar asked, Toki was still clinging to him, he could feel the tremors that were shuddering through the younger man's body. Toki's legs felt like jelly, barely holding him up and if it had not been for Skwisgaar's arms around him, he would have slid to the ground.

"We hafta go to the police," Pickles said. "We hafta tell 'em what happened."

"No!"

All eyes turned towards Charles.

"We can't go to the police," he said quietly.

"But Charles..."

"Pickles, we can't go to the police. A man has been killed under very suspicious circumstances, there will be an investigation. The press will become involved. Think of what a scandal like this could do to the band."

They were all staring at him now, their faces pale in the moonlight. Silence seemed to lay all around them like a cold heavy blanket.

Tiredly, he wiped a hand across his face. _Jesus, what a fucked up mess._ Aloud he begun try and explain the situation to them.

"Listen to me, all of you because I need you to pay close attention now." Stopping to make sure that he had their full and undivided attention, he continued.

"A man is dead because Nathan punched him. That is what the police are going to hear, that's what they are going to see. Nathan will be facing manslaughter charges at the best, murder at the worst. Then there are all of you. You could be charged as accessories to a crime. Even if the police believed you all, and I am sure they would, think of what this could do to Dethklok. The lead guitarist is killed by the band's front man after raping a young male hitch hiker. Do you think that Dethklok could survive a scandal like that. This could finish your careers."

Nathan, Pickles, Murderface and Skwisgaar were all staring at the manager mutely as they digested this piece of information.

"At worst you could be facing a jail sentence in a foreign country, at best the complete destruction of your careers."

Pickles was the first to speak. "Whut do we do with his body?"

Eight

Denmark

Toki was laying on the battered couch, wrapped in a blanked, his head resting in Skwisgaar's lap. He was aching and sore, his backside still throbbing from the brutal violation. He could feel blood trickling down the inside of his thighs despite the wads of paper toweling that Skwisgaar used to try and stop the worst of the bleeding. Magnus had torn him up pretty badly. Not knowing what else to do, he had tried to clean Toki up the best he could, but he knew that the young man needed medical attention.

Because Toki was unable to walk, Nathan had carried him back to the tour bus, gently nursing the traumatized young man in his arms. Skwisgaar had readily agreed to stay with him while the others took care of Magnus's corpse.

They were both waiting for the others to return now so they could all get the hell out of here.

Suddenly Toki turned his head to gaze at Skwisgaar, dark purple shadows, as dark as bruises ringed his pale blue eyes. His face was pale and drawn with shock, making him look years older than he really was.

"Do you hate me?"

Taken aback by the question, Skwisgaar groped for an answer. "Nei, nei why would I hate you?"

"Because it's all my fault," Toki replied miserably.

"How is this your fault?" Skwisgaar asked. "You were raped by a pervert Toki, that's hardly your fault."

"I must have done something to deserve it," Toki whispered. "My parents are right, I am evil, I am a child of sin."

Shocked by this Skwisgaar laid his hands gently on Toki's shoulders. "That's not true and if your parents told you that kind of shit, no wonder you fucking left home."

"I ran away," Toki confessed. "My father beat me and I...I ran away."

"They beat you?"

Toki nodded. Skwisgaar moved his hands from Toki's shoulders down to the bottom of his shirt, then carefully pulling it up, ran his hand over Toki's back. The scars were still visible against the pale skin. They crisscrossed over his shoulders and down towards the top of his buttocks. Feeling sickened, Skwisgaar lowered his shirt, smoothing it down against Toki's back.

"They did this to you often?"

Toki nodded, tears welling up into his eyes. "Ja, all the time. They had to because I was born in sin and I was evil. They were right," he added miserably.

"You are not evil Toki, they are, the sick bastards."

Skwisgaar was about to add to this when the door off the bus opened. Both he and Toki looked up as the Nathan entered, followed by Charles, Pickles and Murderface. All four looked exhausted.

"Is ams dones Nathan?" Skwisgaar asked. Nathan nodded tiredly.

"Yeah, it's done. Fucker's at the bottom of a fucking river."

With that, he dropped his big frame into the nearest chair. "Fuck," he muttered, scrubbing his hands across his face. "Fuck."

"Good riddance to ther fecking douchbag," Pickles muttered. "Feck it, I need a drink."

"Yeah, good riddanch," Murderface echoed. "Howchs the kid doing?"

"Nots good, he's ass am stills bleedings. He ams needings the medickles treatsments."

Charles frowned. "We can't take him to a doctor Skwisgaar, we are going to have to look after him ourselves."

Nathan raised his head, frowning. "But Charles if he's uh...bleeding..."

"If we take him to a hospital, the doctors and nurses will be able to see straight away that Toki is a rape victim, they will ask questions, questions that we won't be able to answer. They will have to call the authorities and then what do we tell them."

"SHIT!"

Nathan's bellow made them all jump, Toki cringed against Skwisgaar, hiding his face against the rough material of the Swede's pants.

"We can take care of Toki," Charles assured them. Then turning to Skwisgaar, added. "We need to find a drugstore, or a pharmacy, somewhere where we can get medical supplies."

"We heve a first aide kit somewhere around here," Pickles said. "Will thet help?"

"Thanks Pickles, but I think that we need a little more than band aids and headache pills."

"I heve some awesome fecking dope dood, thet should help."

Charles smiled wanly, "thanks but I think we would be better off with antibiotics instead."

The trip into town did not take that long and despite the late hour they were lucky enough to find a store that was still open. Skwisgaar spoke to the young girl behind the counter, fabricating a story involving a inexperienced American friend, a set of skis, alcohol and a very embarrassing accident. Listening to his story, the girl had winced, then laughed.

"Something very similar happened to a friend of mine a few years ago," she confided. Then searching through the shelves behind her, she found what they needed.

"Some antibiotic cream and these painkillers should help as well," she said, placing the items on the counter along with a roll of gauze and some bandages. Charles paid for the items and both he Skwisgaar, Nathan and Pickles left the store.

"Uh, what did you tell her?" Nathan asked as they headed back to the bus that was parked on the other side of the street.

"I's justs tolds her dat my friends, a dumb dildos was playinks wit der skis after he am beens drinkings. Ands he slips and hits his asses ons a rock."

Nathan nodded approvingly. "Good story," then as an afterthought added, "brutal."

Skwisgaar swelled with pride. "I ams tellinks der good lies ams well."

Toki and Murderface were sitting together on the couch, waiting for them. Charles noticed that Toki was looking a little better now. His face was still pale and wan, but there was a tiny bit of colour back in his cheeks and he looked a little brighter than before.

"We bought some ointment and bandages, oh and some painkillers as well," Nathan announced as he entered the bus.

Skwisgaar translated this to Toki, who nodded his understanding. Both Charles and Skwisgaar tended to Toki while the other watched. At first Toki found Charles ministrations embarrassing and he buried his burning face against Skwisgaar's shoulder as Charles applied the cream. Then carefully he placed the gauze pads against Toki's injured opening. Charles frowned when he saw the amount of damage that bastard Magnus had done. But it was nothing that the young man would not recover from. He handed Toki a couple of painkillers who accepted them with a grateful _takk_, then washed them down with a glass of water. After he was carefully settled back down onto the couch once more, Charles sat down beside him, a grave expression on his face.

"Skwisgaar, I am going to need you to translate something for me please."

"Ja, okays."

Taking a deep breath, Charles mentally gathered himself for what he was going to have to say. It would be hard and Charles doubted whether he would ever be able to forgive himself, but it had to be done. For the good of the band, for the good of the boys and even for himself, it had to be done.

"You have to tell Toki that he can never tell anyone what happened here."

Stunned, Skwisgaar jerked his head around to stare at Charles. Toki was looking at them both, clearly puzzled.

"Tell him please."

Skwisgaar hesitated for a moment, then quickly translated the words for Toki.

The young man appeared to chew this over in his mind, then nodded his acquiescence. "Alright, I won't tell anyone. I promise."

"But uh, won't he need some you know...therapy or something?" Nathan asked. "You know, so he won't go crazy and shoot people or something, even though that would be brutal, you know, going crazy and shooting people and stuff."

Charles looked up at him. "No one must ever know what happened, what...what we did. What we were forced to do. If anyone ever finds out, then we would all, be...how shall I put it? Ah yes...I believe the word is fucked. We will all be fucked. Do you all understand this?"

They all nodded solemnly, after all, none of them wanted to go to prison.

"I don'ts likes dis," Skwisgaar grumbled. "We ams tellinks a victoms ofs der rapings and der beatinks nots to say nothinks to nobodys."

"Beatings?" Charles was clearly confused. "Magnus beat him as well?"

"Nei, it was ams his parenskts. Deys ams whats beatings him, see." With that, Skwisgaar lifted up the back of Toki's shirt to show them all the scars. "Dats is why he ams leavingks dem."

Charles's jaw tightened perceptibly. Was their anything at all that this young man had not suffered? Suddenly he became aware of Toki's gaze on him, he could see all the pain and hurt in those pale blue eyes and he felt his stomach clench bitterly. Jesus, none of this would have happened in the first place if Nathan hadn't decided to play good Samaritan and pick the kid up and if Magnus had not been such a filthy pervert. Now it was up to him to have to clean up the mess.

"He has to understand what's at stake here. If Toki tells anyone at all, then everything comes undone. Remember, a man has died, we all helped dispose of the body, that's a serious crime in itself. If any of this gets out we are all going to be ruined. Toki can never tell anyone what happened. _Never_. Do we agree on this."

A couple of minutes passed, before they mumbled their agreement. Satisfied, Charles nodded.

"Good, now this is what we are going to do. Toki is going to come with us. It may take a little doing but he is coming back to the States with us. I'll just tell Immigration that he is the new member of the band. After a disagreement, Magnus quit the band and left, we do not know where he went so we hired Toki. Is that clear to everyone."

Once again, they all nodded.

"Good," Charles said, then turning to Skwisgaar, added. "Do you think you might be able to teach Toki some basic English? And perhaps a few simple guitar chords. Just in case, we need this story to hold up."

"Ja," Skwisgaar replied. "I's cans be teachinks him der Englalisch ands der guitars ams well. Leaves its toos me."

Charles drew a sigh a relief. "Good, then I think we should leave as soon as possible.

Nine

America

"No Toki, yer move that piece like this."

Pickles and Toki were sitting around the kitchen table in the small apartment that the boys were sharing. The drummer was trying to teach Toki how to play checkers. Nathan was sitting beside him, pointing out various moves, most of them wrong while Murderface was attempting to tell all three of them how to play.

"Toki's am be needings to be practacings now," Skwisgaar suddenly called out from the small battered looking couch that he was sitting on. His Explorer resting across his lap.

"Yeah, in a minute, "Pickles called over to him. "Quit being a douche and let ther kid play."

"I's be's der in am uh...ahh...minsk...mins..."

"A minute," Charles corrected him from where he was sitting at a desk in the corner of the living room. He did not live with the rest of the band, but he stayed with them as often as he could in order to make sure things were running smoothly and to keep an eye on them all. He shuffled some papers into a folder before placing them into his briefcase.

The purchase of a huge parcel of land had just come through, so now construction of their new house could begin. It would be nice to finally be able to live in a bigger place.

The band's popularity had grown so quickly since their Scandinavian tour that it was almost frightening. Their first album was rapidly outselling every other band and money just seemed to be pouring in. Dethklok was rapidly their way to fame and fortune at a speed that was almost dizzying.

_It's like riding on the back of a dragon,_ Charles thought with a small smile. _Frightening, awe inspiring and completely unpredictable. But then that did sum up Dethklok perfectly._

"Toki, I's ams not wantings for yous no's longer. Gets your butts here ams now!"

Since Skwisgaar had started teaching Toki to speak English, he no longer spoke to him in Swedish unless he absolutely had to. As he explained it. "Toki's ams nots goinks to be ams learninks der words if I's ams nots be talkinks to hims in der Engalisch."

Obediently, Toki pushed his chair back from the table and picking up Magnus's old Flying V, went over to join Skwisgaar on the couch. Soon the two Scandinavians were deep in a guitar lesson. Toki had proven himself to be quite adapt at playing, picking it up very quickly. Despite Charles offer to buy Toki his own guitar, the young man had insisted on keeping Magnus's instead. Charles was not quite sure why, but he suspected that it was Toki's way of trying to lay old ghosts to rest.

That was not to say that Toki had fully healed from his traumatic experience though. He still suffered from the occasional nightmare and he was still very childlike in so many ways. But that did not seem to bother the rest of the band. If anything, they no only accepted Toki's childlike mannerisms, it seemed to make the rest of the band more paternal and protective of him, as though Toki were their baby brother.

It had been surprisingly easy to bring Toki to the States with them. Especially after Charles and Nathan had paid a visit to Toki's parents. Charles was still struck by how creepy Aslaug and Anja were. At first they had been horrified at the thought of their son bringing such shame to them. The thought of him playing an instrument in a death metal band had scandalized them both. Of course they had refuse to allow their son to go with the band to America of all places. Well that was until Charles had calmly told them what charges they would be facing when the authorities discovered the abuse that they had inflicted upon their only child.

The prospect of a jail sentence had soon changed their minds. That and the hulking mass standing behind the manager. Nathan was not only a talented singer, he was also excellent at intimidating people with his sheer size and presence as well.

"No Toki, nots like dis, is wrongs, yous ams play like dis."

Charles could not help but smile at the sight of Skwisgaar gently taking Toki's fingers and placing them in the correct position on the strings. Toki's face was a picture of concentration as he followed Skwisgaar's instructions.

"Dere, nows you ams gots it."

Toki looked up at Skwisgaar, his eyes shining with joy. It was clear that he was beginning to blossom under Skwisgaar's approval.

Clearing his throat, Charles gathered up his coat.

"Okay guys, I have to go now, but I'll be back later tonight. Nathan, how's that new song coming along?"

"Okay," he grunted. Charles nodded.

"Good, right then, I'll see you all in a few hours."

With that, Charles left the apartment, closing the front door behind him. He had a lot to do today, another concert to organize, an appointment with the head of the recording company. As Charles walked down the flight of stairs, he suddenly found his mind returning to that horrible night, the night that had seen Toki's brutal rape and had ended in Magnus's death.

_Blood and secrets,_ he thought as he headed out onto the busy city street. _That's what bonds us all together. Blood spilled and secrets kept._

And somehow he knew that he would be able to live with that.

The End


End file.
